Hell on Wheels (Faetal Attraction #1)

Start a Riot

I don’t give a flying fuck what the High Council’s rules are—I’m going to hunt every one of those bitches down and make them beg me to kill them.

We were nearby, but crowds on the floor move in weird ways—and this time, it felt choreographed. By the time Archie and I tore through the crowd at Rogue’s call, they were gone and she was lying in a pool of blood. Knowing her, I realized it probably wasn’t all hers, but she also wasn’t moving. One arm was bent at an impossible angle and her face was a mess I couldn’t even look at without almost losing control of my powers. The connection between our kind verified that she was alive, but she got hurt badly and clearly power sapped. Dust from her wings was everywhere, which meant she gave in and pulled out her biggest guns.

Fae from various family lineages have wildly unique powers and wings, so their ‘dust’ has unpredictable capabilities if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. Mine are more like bird wings and they sprinkle a paralytic—which would have been helpful if I’d fucking gotten here in time. Some royals have opiate-like fairy dust; others have sleeping powder.

Rogue, however, rarely unsheathes hers because, with her filmy dragonfly wings, she unleashes death. The blood of Dark Unseelie in her line gave her the power to poison, and if ingested without intervention, it can kill other species within hours. Another Fae could hold the effects with their own magic, but neither Mina nor any of the Sickos are our kind.

For to let her wings loose means she was sure they were going to kill her.

And they might have if we hadn’t pounded through that door with Archer’s strength and my magic.

They must have realized too late how dangerous her powers were because outside of her face, her poor wings are the most mangled.

I growl under my breath, infuriated that I let my irritation with my best friend distract me from watching her six in the inebriated crowd of supes. Turning to look at her lying on the healer’s table, I run an angry hand through my hair, tugging on it as I mentally berate myself for the things I shouldn’t have done as much as the ones I should have.

“Man, you gotta relax.” Archie yawns, stretching his long frame out in the chair he’s been snoozing in. “You couldn’t have known those chicks were going to kidnap Wheels and damn near kill her.”

Easy for him to say. It’s not his job to protect her. Rogue and are partner Guardians—meant to be watching over a pair of supes—and it’s always my job to keep her safe. That’s why we’re at a healer, not a hospital, so our little snafu doesn’t get reported to the Council and the Society.

Shrugging, I walk over and brush her hair out of her face gently. The wounds there are superficial and not worth using up favors for—that’s what she’d tell me if she were awake. Her arm and her wings are much more important, so that’s what I focused on. But the ugly bruises and stitched cuts are making the fire in my heart rage with impotence.

That jealous bitch fucked up her face on purpose; I know it.

“Starbucks Witches are bitches, man. Mina’s bullshit is because she’s lost touch with reality. Don’t get twisted; the Bombers will wipe the floor with them in two weeks and Rogue will lead the attack.”

I clench my fists in rage as I turn. “Then what happens when those fucking sociopaths target her again? Broken legs? A concussion? They’ll be sneaky but lethal on the boards now that she’s injured one of theirs.”

The lion shifter stands and walks across the room, cracking his neck as he comes closer. “How do you know she took one out?”

“The wings. One of them got severely hurt or is dying—more if she also used her magic. Rogue doesn’t have to bother with hand-to-hand combat, dude. Between the lust fog, the poison dust, and her mental shit, she can take people out without touching them. It’s why she trains so hard at the Council sessions, and why they had to take her as a group. One of them had to be a Seelie to help neutralize her.”

Archer scratches his jaw, giving me an amused look. “She’s not your sister, man. It’s okay.”

I glare at him. “Keep your opinions to yourself and your hands off her.”

“Excuse the fuck out of me, but will you two morons shut the hell up?” The weak voice comes from the bed and we both trip over our feet to get closer to her.

Archie grins down at Rogue, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know I’m a catch, but you don’t have to get your ass kicked to get my attention.”

She snorts, then winces. “Shit, did anyone check for a cracked rib? That baseball bat was fucking iron, you know.”

Iron? They brought a goddamned iron baseball bat?!!

“Uh, no. I mean, I don’t know. Let me get Florissa.” I stalk over to the door, flinging it open to yell for the witch, but to my surprise, she’s standing on the other side of it.

The tiny hippie witch gives me a bemused look. “Rebel, I could feel the vibes from the other side of the house. I knew our little death bringer was awake when you did. Now, Rogue, would you like me to send these boys for some food while I check you out?”

“Fuck, yes. The hovering is making me seasick,” she mutters.

Florissa waves her hand at me, bracelets jangling as she glides into the room in her weird robes. “Begone, anxious men. I will examine her while you seek sustenance. Your energy is clogging up the air.”

Archie gives me a shrug and I sigh. “Okay, Flo. We’ll go find something to eat and come back. Don’t fill her head with trippy nonsense while we’re gone.”

Her tinkling laugh echoes in the hallway as we leave, and I grumble under my breath.

Maybe it would have been better to suck it up and see the town caladrius. At least that crusty old fart wouldn’t try to convert my sister to the cauldron lickers.

When we get to The Emerald Lotus, it’s packed to the gills. It’s not surprising on the weekend—this is one of the best restaurants in town. They serve extremely rare dishes that most places can’t replicate because they have sous chefs of multiple species hired to design their menus. Everything from Fae food to dragon dinari is handcrafted nightly and served in an elegant setting.

Rogue loves the honey-lavender salad with the savory rosemary meat pies and buttermilk biscuits. If Javi is working, he’ll make her a Maui Mule in a to-go cup, which I know will make her smile. I should see if they have something sweet for dessert, too. She has a sweet tooth like a pixie.

“Dude, don’t forget the Maui. Wheels loves that silly rainbow drink shit,” Archie says as he scans the room.

My brows furrow. I’ve been best friends with this guy since elementary school and I swear, he’s been a player since he could talk. Archer Glaser has a track record with conquests like any sports star, and his bedpost notches have doubled since he made the Bay City Thunder. But for the past two days, all he’s done is obsess over Rogue.

Am I missing something?

“I will never forget her favorite drink, Arch. Since when do you care so much about my sister?”

He turns on his heel, his eyes narrowed and yellow with the thread of his shifter side showing. “Reb, when you get your head out of your ass, you’re going to feel like an idiot. Let’s go order.”

Blinking in surprise, I watch him stride towards the bar where I’m happy to see Javi is on duty. I shake my head, walking over and giving the bartender a high five. Archie ignores me as I grin at our former high school buddy, and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. Javi looks between us, whistling low.

You can’t fool a phoenix about discord.

Javi King is descended from a very rich, ancient family and he abhors all of them. Deciding to forgo college and become a bartender was the ultimate ‘fuck you’ to his parents, but they stopped short of disowning their only heir. He’s good at what he does and he could work at a fancy club in a bigger city, but he never wanted to leave BC for greener pastures.

“Yo, dickheads. What the hell are you two arguing about now? For guys who have zero responsibilities, you’re morose motherfuckers way too often,” Javi says as he spins a tin on his palm.

“Mind your shit,” Archie grumbles, scuffing his foot on the ground.

Javi whistles again, eyeing me suspiciously. “Where’s my favorite girl, Rebel? You never come without her. I was ready to make her something pretty.”

I pause, studying my other friend. What the hell is with everyone being so damned concerned about Rogue lately? “She’s incommunicado, J. There was a dust up with some rotten apples at the bar and I’ve got her stashed away while she recuperates.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Archie mutters, shaking his head. “Jesus, Reb, we can tell Javi that Wheels got an epic beat down from those bitches on the Sickos.”

The bartender’s jaw drops, and he stops spinning. “Are you fucking kidding me? Dragonfly got jumped? Is she okay?”

Nodding, I look around, trying to make sure that his exclamation didn’t draw attention from the surrounding patrons. “Shhhh. I don’t want it to get around that she’s okay. Or… as okay as she can be while she’s getting patched up by Flo.”

“Got it. So I’ll place her usual order and add a pizza for you two, plus drinks.” Javi turns to punch a few things in on a tablet before looking at us. “And I’ll get Gina to cover the bar so I can come with you.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Archie glares at me. “What’s your deal, dude? Rogue has friends. Why would you be upset about that?”

“Maybe because they’re my friends?”

Five to-go cups slam on the bar and I look up in shock. Javi isn’t the type of guy to blow a fuse, but he’s giving me an angry frown. “From the minute you came into her life, Rogue was glued to your side. Your friends have always been her friends.”

“I keep telling him to get his head out of his ass, but he seems incapable,” Archie mutters.

“Are you two finished talking about me like I’m not here? I can argue with you assholes on the way back to Flo’s with the food. I don’t want to leave Rogue alone while she’s injured.”

They both exchange a knowing look and laugh, which only irritates me more.

Morrigan, save me from my insufferable friends.